Out Of The Woods
by icanwriteyouauniverse
Summary: [Series One] [Script/Playwright] Fourth year has come around and the Marauders are at large once again. But something about this year seems... different. Things aren't exactly as good as they used to be. Somebody is rising to power. Someone who shouldn't have that power at all. Someone dangerous. Are they ready for the change?
1. James Potter S1EP1 Part One

James Potter {S1EP1} - Moons with Moony

Disclaimer: This is a fan-written TV show following the Marauders lives through their fourth year, right up until the death of Lily and James. Each year will have a separate book, and each episode should have separate chapters (although their may be some part twos.) I also plan to have a book of bonus and deleted scenes. Although script writing may seem easy, it can be difficult, so please don't think I can just whiz all of this out of nowhere. - Happy reading!

PART ONE

 **Episode One — The First Moon With Moony**

 **Scene One: Kings Cross Station**

James is on Platform 9 and 3 quarters with his parents.

Mrs Potter: No doing anything dangerous this year, you hear me, James? (She brings James into a hug) Because this time I really will send a howler and I'll embarrass you in front of that Lily girl. Won't we Fleamont?

(James looks up at Fleamont [Mr Potter], who is smiling down at his son, through the hug)

Mr Potter: (confused) Huh? What? Oh! (Suddenly stern) That's right we will.

(James grins at him and Mr. Potter winks) (Mrs Potter finally pulls away from James)

James: Cor blimey, ma! You almost suffocated me! (Mrs Potter slaps his arm playfully and he laughs)

Mr Potter: (Claps his hand on James's back) Go have a good year, son, and make sure to send us letters!

(Sirius and his family [Mr. Black, Mrs. Black, Regulus] have just walked onto the platform. Sirius is avoiding eye contact with others as his mother loudly complains about the mudbloods also on the platform)

James: I will. (spots Sirius) I should probably go. Love you! (Runs off towards Sirius)

(Mrs Potter laughs at how enthusiastic James is to see Sirius as Mr. Potter puts his arm around her, watching his son go) (As James is running, Sirius looks up and catches sight of James and he suddenly stops running. They smile at each other and start slow-mo running towards each other, exaggerating the love usually implicated in these kinds of runs and as they finally meet, James picks Sirius up and swings him round. They fall onto the platform, laughing at their idiocy.)

Remus: (From out of nowhere) (Bored tone) Honestly, you two are killing me here.

(Sirius, who is on top of James, and James look up)

James: Remus, my little Moony baby!

(Sirius rolls off of James, who jumps up and pulls Remus into a hug)

James: (Exclaims in an exaggerated, romantic tone) Oh, how I've missed you!

Remus: (Completely, dead straight face) Really? Hadn't noticed.

James: Oh God how I love you, Remus Lupin!

Remus: (shoves James away in mock hurt) Then what were you doing with him (points to Sirius)

James: (shakes his head and clasps his hands together) He means nothing to me, I swear, Moony. You're the only one for me.

(Suddenly shows Peter, who has joined Sirius, watching the scenario with an unimpressed face.)

Peter: (Raises eyebrows and looks at Sirius) Again?

Sirius: (Sighs) same as last year.

Remus: Do you mean it James? Do you really love me?

James: Bro, I love you so much it hurts.

Remus: How badly?

James: This badly. (James begins to pretend to die from a heart attack, falling to the floor and choking violently.)

(Mrs Black suddenly grips Sirius by his arm, her nails digging in and pulling him aside violently)

Peter: (shouts but Mrs Black has taken him pretty far away from the boys) Hey!

Mrs Black: Don't you dare stand with that kind of filth on my watch, do you understand me boy?

(Sirius's back suddenly straightens)

Mrs Black: (quietly, so nobody around them can hear)(bending down so she is at eye level with Sirius) If I can't hit the idiocy and the disgusting amounts of humiliation you have tainted our names with out of you, what chance do you have in the world? Those stupid little boys, they don't love you. Do you ever wonder what your cousins hear them say when you're not here? Oh, because I've heard. You're worthless to them just like you are to me.

(As James approaches at a distance, he looks around alarmed)

James: (hesistates) (walks over grinning) Sirius! How was your summer? (acts as if he has only just noticed Mrs Black) Oh, hello Mrs Black. Sorry, were you two talking?

Mrs. Black: (straightens up slowly, never breaking eye contact with Sirius.) No. Goodbye, Sirius. See you next summer. (she walks away)

(Sirius lets out a breathe suddenly and looks at James, who smiles at him)

 **Scene Two: Hogwarts Express**

James: (walking into their carriage) Home sweet home! (he twists around and jumps onto the seat as if it was a bed. He knocks his head and winces)

Remus: (walks in and laughs) James we sit here for about five hours a year. If that's what you call a home I'd like to see what you'd call that cardboard box we replaced your bed with last year.

James: Julie. And we were on very good terms, thanks.

Peter: (just sitting down next to James, pushing his legs down) Really? I heard you swearing at her a good few times a night.

Sirius: (smiling slightly but still seems kind of sad) just admit it prongs, the prank got to you.

James: Did I ever once get fed up and sleep in one of your beds instead?

Remus: (shakes his head and smirks) it a hundred per cent got to you, prongs.

James: Did not!

Sirius: Did to

James: (leans back and folds his arms sulkily) (looks out of window dramatically) whatever.

Peter: (laughs)

(Remus pulls out a notebook and begins flicking through it before arriving to a page and staring at it for a while) (Sirius and Peter are bantering in the background but cannot really be heard) (James looks over and notices that Remus is looking at the notebook)

James: (leans away from the window and talks to Sirius and Peter) hey boys, why don't you go and find the trolley lady? Or maybe go find Evans's carriage, put in a good word for me.

Sirius: We've been on the train for like five minutes.

Peter: Uh Padders, it's been about half an hour. Don't forget we stopped to berate Snape on the way here.

Sirius: (frowns and looks at Remus) Berate?

Remus: (kind of preoccupied) criticise or have a go at.

Sirius: (nods) ahhhhhhh. Still, it feels kind of early.

James: But I want some chocolate schlopers (motions his head towards Remus.)

Sirius: (sudden realisation) OH. Oh right, okay. (laughs to cover up) You owe me big time, loser. Come on, Pete.

Peter: (nods to James with a kind of 'good luck' subtext and gets up and leaves with Sirius)

(James gets up and moves next to Remus, leaning his head on his shoulder) (Remus abruptly closes his notebook and inhales deeply)

Remus: You know, chocolate sclopers don't exist and if it's code for 'I need to talk to Moony about something please go away' you didn't do a very good job at... you know... not making it obvious that it's a code.

(James moves his head to look at Remus, still resting on his shoulder, so that his chin is on top of Remus's shoulder and looks up at him)

James: Okay you got me. But I caught you too.

Remus: (avoiding eye contact) what do you mean?

James: (sits up) The notebook, Rem.

Remus: and?

(brief pause)

James: Are you nervous about tonight?

Remus: Hm, let me think, first day of our fourth year and I'm going to turn into a monster and not only one, but four of us are going to be absent from the feast as well as the fact that this is the first time you guys are going to become animagi to help me. What if... (hesitates and shakes his head)

James: What if what?

Remus: (quietly) what if I hurt one of you?

James: You won't. I'd trust you with my life.

Remus: But would you trust a werewolf?

James: Remus we can handle ourselves. We wouldn't have done this if we weren't at least sixty per cent certain that we would be able to handle you while you were in your-

(Lily opens the carriage door and leans against the side and folds arms)

Lily: Hey, Remus, how was your holiday?

Remus: Good thanks. A little bit boring. How about yours lil?

Lily: Yeah good.. Potter?

James: Yes?

Lily: Just checking you were functioning since you hadn't talked in the last four seconds.

James: (laughs) good one, Evans.

Lily: (taken aback, opens and closes mouth a few times, kind of like a goldfish) Thanks, Potter. How was your holiday?

James: Great. Uh, if you don't mind, I need to talk to Remus.

Lily: (silent briefly) Oh! Oh yeah, of course, sure! (stumbles a bit on way out) By the way the train stops soon, so you might wanna change. (She slides the door shut and presses her back against it, closing her eyes and then looking up) Shitballs.

 **Scene Three: Carriages towards Hogwarts**

James, Sirius, Peter and Remus are in the second from last carriage together. However, behind them is a carriage filled with Bellatrix, Rodolphus, Rabastan and Andromeda. Andromeda looks bored to be there and has her arms folded. Suddenly, Bellatrix, who uses her wand to force the thestral forward, bashes into the marauders boat.

Bellatrix: (leaning forwards with a cocky smirk) Hey, cousin dearest, how's it going with your sad life at home where nobody loves you?

Peter: (standing up)(small, slightly scared voice) do you want to say that again?

Remus: Oh no (goes to pick up wand, but James stops him to listen to hear what Bellatrix is saying)

Bellatrix: Sit down, rat boy. You're nothing but a scared little kid who can do absolutely nothing except hide behind his more popular, for god knows what fucking reason, pals.

(James stands up)

Rabastan: (laughing) and what exactly are you going to do about it, Potter? You can't even get that stupid red-headed mudblood.

James: Moony don't hold me back. (James launches himself into their carriage and lands on top of Rabastan and begins punching him)

Remus: (cocks his head to the side, sighs and rolls his eyes as Rodolphus goes to hit James) Affligo!

(Rodolphus moves back slightly, winces and puts a hand to his face)

Sirius: (smirking, sitting back pretty relaxed) (swishes wand casually) Aqua Eructo!

(water squirts from the end of his wand all over Bellatrix, who shrieks. Extremely annoyed, she points her wand at one of Remus's books)

Bellatrix: Ararchnifors!

(The book turns into a spider and Peter shrieks) (The thestrals become quite restless) (Rodolphus has managed to pull James off and is now holding James up for Rabastan to punch. Sirius jumps into their carriage and an entire fight breaks out.)

Andromeda: (irritated, she jumps into the carriage Remus and Peter on) Sorry, I just wanted to get away from them.

(Bellatrix silently casts stupefy spell to cause the carriage to stop, consequently knocking it down)

Remus: (rolls onto ground, wincing) fuck! (wand rolls away from him) (he sees it, runs over to it, picks it up, thrusts his arm in front of him and shouts) ARCUS!

(A cluster of trees appear in front of the carriage and it crashes) (Peter gets up) (Remus is smirking)

Peter: You do realise that our friends were in that carriage too, right?

Remus: (face falls slightly and he closes his eyes as if to say 'I am such an idiot') (he opens his eyes and purses his lips) yeah I'm just beginning to remember that…

(Literally out of nowhere, McGonagall comes storming over, her wand out)

McGonagall: What on earth is going on?

 **Scene Four: McGonagall's Class**

McGonagall: I want a fair account of what happened. I don't want to be dealing with you eight all night. I was supposed to be sorting the kids, but Professor Slughorn is seeing to it instead. He feels I'll be much harsher in how this is dealt with.

(Bellatrix sighs, rolls her eyes and folds her arms.) (Rodolphus, who is sitting besides James, tucks out his chair to put his feet up on the desk. James looks over and scowls.)

McGongall: Rodolphus Lestrange get your filthy shoes off of my desk before I make sure you scrub the bottom of every single one of them.

(He turns to James, smirks and winks, before taking his feet off.)

McGonagall: Miss Black. You're, I hope, a trust worthy source of information for how exactly this happened. Would you like to enlighten me?

Andromeda: (looks around at the others and folds her arms, shrugging her shoulders and shaking her head, indicating a firm 'no.')

McGonagall: You're telling me nothing happened?

Andromeda: (hesitant) I wasn't really paying attention, in all honesty, Miss McGonagall. I didn't exactly think that anything was going on until all of the dueling happened.

McGonagall: (looks at her pointedly, raising her chin, before resigning) Remus, would you like to begin with an account of what happened instead?

Bellatrix: (sitting at the desk behind his, leans forward with her wand under the desk) (whispers) Imperio.

Remus: It was all our fault, Professor McGonagall.

James: (outraged) what?

Remus: We picked a fight for no reason. Looking to antagonise some innocent students, 's all.

Peter: (shocked) Remus? (turns to McGonagall) but they (looks around hesitantly at the slytherins, as if he doesn't want to be a snitch, but then decides to carry on anyway) they started it!

Remus: Give it up, Peter. We both know that we all started it. They hardly did anything to provoke us, did they?

Sirius: (looking around at the four slytherins) one of you have done something. That must be it. Someone hit him over the head, professor. That has to be it.

Remus: (Lifting his hands up) They haven't done anything to me, padfoot.

McGonagall: (sits and assesses the situation for a few seconds) blacks, lestrange's, you are dismissed. Professor Slughorn shall deal with you.

(Smugly, they all stand up with casual slowness, attempting to intimidate the marauders as they go, except for Andromeda, who just waits aside for the other three to get going. As they begin walking away, Mc Gonagall interrupts)

McGonagall: Oh, and Miss Black?

(Both Blacks look over, but McGonagall makes a point of staring directly at Bellatrix in a rather unsettling, almost threatening way)

McGonagall: If you would like to lift Mr Lupin of the imperius curse., I'll make Dumbledore aware of your illegal witchcraft and he can deal with you. There will be no tolerance of dark or illegal arts at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Do you understand, young lady?

(Bellatrix holds her gaze for a while, before finally lifting Remus of the curse and she and the others walk away. As they get towards the end of the room, Bellatrix mocks what she says, putting an arm around Andromeda, and says some inaudible but horrible things about Professor McGonagall)

James: (stands up abruptly, almost knocking his chair over)

McGonagall: (warning) James.

James: (outraged) Did you not just hear what she said about you?

McGonagall: And you believe that picking yet another fight is going to stop her from using (begins opening tin) low blows in order to offend some old woman like me? (tilts tin towards the boys) Biscuit?

(James grins at her)

 _To be continued_


	2. James Potter S1EP1 Part Two

James Potter {S1EP1} - Moons with Moony

Disclaimer: This is a fan-written TV show following the Marauders lives through their fourth year, right up until the death of Lily and James. Each year will have a separate book, and each episode should have separate chapters (although their may be some part twos.) I also plan to have a book of bonus and deleted scenes. Although script writing may seem easy, it can be difficult, so please don't think I can just whiz all of this out of nowhere. - Happy reading!

PART TWO

 **Scene Six: McGonagall's Office (Back to Scene Four)**

Now, all of the boys are sitting around McGonagall's desk with moved chairs, and they are all relaxed and looking casual, joking around. {Credits to incorrectmaraudersquotes for the first three lines of this scene}

McGonagall: I wondered when you'd be back, I just didn't expect it to be on the first day.

Peter: Did you miss us?

McGonagall: (smiles) I never get a chance to miss you. It feels as if you're in my office every day.

James: (kind of excitedly) Also professor, it seems like the advice you gave me on Evans kind of worked. I mean she talked to me first so.

Sirius: WHAT?

Peter: Lies!

James: No no, Remus was there. Weren't you Rem?

Remus: (nods)

McGonagall: Looks like you owe me an ice cream from Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour.

Sirius: What? I was so looking forward to my chocolate chilli ice cream.

McGonagall: Well now I'm looking forward to my butterbeer ice cream. (Notices Remus is being quiet) I know how you must be feeling, first day and all, but you're going to be okay, Remus.

(Everyone goes silent, looking away from Remus to give him some space, except for McGonagall, who looks straight at him)

Remus: (he himself stays silent for a while, looking down at his hands) It's just... all the days in the month and the full moon had to be... had to be today? Today? The first day of school?

McGonagall: It's distasteful, I know, Remus. Sadly, there's not much else you can do other than accept your fate and say screw it, master it and eventually just be a little bit in control of it.

Remus: I guess

McGonagall: (looks outside window) Speaking of, you boys better get going. Remus needs to go into the forest and you three need to go straight to the Gryffindor dormitories, do you understand me?

Peter: Yes, professor.

Sirius: Of course we will (flashes her a grin)

(They all get up to leave, laughing and pissing around. She watches them out, smirking and shaking her head fondly)

 **Scene Seven: Corridor in Hogwarts**

The boys all have their arms around each other. Remus is at the end of them all and simply wraps his arm around James' waist. He is nervous about the full moon.

Peter: (noticing Remus's worry) Don't Worry Rem, we'll be right beside you.

Sirius: Exactly. Nothing to worry about when you have people as devilishly handsome as us to help out, hm?

They split apart to discuss

Remus: Who are you three kidding? This is the first time we've tried something like this and it could be seriously dangerous for you guys... I don't want you three out there with me.

James: What? You can't go back now? We're frickin- (looks around quickly and leans forward, whispering slightly) we're animagi now. We're doing this, do you hear me Remus?

Remus: I hear you perfectly fine, James. I'm a werewolf not bloody earless.

Sirius: (pointedly) you will be with that cheek, young man. (Remus glares at him) Okay, all jokes aside, we're not leaving you out there by yourself.

Remus: Right. But you won't have a choice if I tell McGonagall you guys are planning to sneak out tonight.

(James is very taken aback, gulping. He feels really bad for his friend.)

Peter: (passionate) Moony, what you become doesn't define you. We know you when you're you, and we know you when you're not, because we're your best friends, and that means we stick by you through both of those kinds of situations. Just because you think you're a monster, fuck it, just because bigots think you're a monster, does not mean you are one. We're sticking by you is my point, because uh well, (beginning to realise he was very brash and starts becoming shy again, playing with his sleeves) I'm not sure any of that made any sense but...

Sirius: I couldn't have put it better myself, Pete.

James: (nods reassuringly) Wormtail's right, Moony.

Remus: (moment of hesitation before straightening his back and holding his chin high) Go back to your dorms or I'll tell McGonagall.

Sirius: (agressively, loudly) You're an idiot!

(Remus and him hold eye contact)

Sirius: Why won't you let **somebody** help you! You're going to be sad and lonely in this world if you don't let us in and I don't want that for you.

James: Let's go

Sirius and Peter: What?

James: (nodding slowly) Let's go to our dorms. Come on. (He begins walking away)

Sirius: (outraged) James!

Peter: (frowns but then realises what James is planning) Sirius, just leave it. It's what he wants and we should obey his wishes. (He walks off in James's direction too)

Sirius: I can't believe this...

Remus: (smiles sadly) (softly spoken) go.

(Sirius opens his mouth to argue)

Remus: (still softly) don't. Please. Just go.

(Sirius stares at Remus for a while, who refuses to make eye contact. He nods as if he accepts it and walks away with James and Peter)

Peter: we're sneaking back out there the moment the moon makes a show, right?

James: (smirks) wouldn't have it any other way.

 **Scene Eight: (The journey to the shrieking shack)**

As VOICEOVER plays, it flickers between Remus making his way to the Shrieking Shack, the boys doing so and also people going to sleep in their dorms etc. This will be indicated throughout the monologue in italics.

James (voiceover): _Remus walking towards the Shrieking Shack entry near the whomping willow, looking around nervously. The camera shakes as if it is a person walking too._

He's a fighter. He's got some kind of... way about him. A fire in his soul and even if it dies out into smoke and ashes for a while, he's always always always burning. He never gives up. I'm just scared that this?

 _The boys running through corridors together, playing pranks, having a laugh, getting into trouble._

This is going to be the thing that forces his fire to burn out. This is going to be what damages him beyond repair. The ridiculous idea that he's a monster.

 _Remus sleeping in the library surrounded by piles of books, some open to pages about werewolves._

That he doesn't deserve to be loved.

 _Remus locking himself in the bathroom to cry._

That he doesn't deserve us as his friends, that he doesn't need us, that we don't need him, that we can't handle what the whole fucking wizarding world can't seem to handle either.

 _Wizarding World having anti-werewolf protests. Then goes back to Remus making his way past the Whomping Willow. Then focuses on boys coming out of the school behind him._

I know all three of us are going to stand by him. I just hope to God this animagi things work out because if it doesn't he's going to push us away even further.

 _Lily and Alice in their dorms, Lily clearly still worried about something._

He didn't even want to tell Evans, and they're so close. (Sadly) closer than I'll ever get...

 _Pans over to the boys, who are visible from her dorm window, they are now continuing the conversation from the monologue._

Peter: I'll try help you guys best I can, but being a rat and all... How am I going to help you?

Sirius: Don't worry, wormtail, all three of us will be help to each other as long as we work as a team.

(James shushes them and they follow Remus down into the Whomping Willow secret entrance)

 **Scene Nine: The boys walking down the secret entrance**

The boys walk carefully and begin to hear noises, so they look around at each other cautiously. After exchanging eye contact, James nods, and they turn into their animagi form. They continue forth as their animals, and from the mouth of the entrance they see Remus Lupin, stripped completely naked (the audience cannot see anything inappropriate however) and waiting for the full moon to transform him.

Eventually, he begins to twitch and his face elongates. Their animagi forms seem distressed as they watch. When fur begins to sprout off of him, Sirius, as a dog, indicates by soft barking that they need to go and they all three run out. Peter is clinging to James' s antlers, which are not very majestic, as they are simply antler buds at the size of around two inches. He eventually runs down the stags neck and clings to his fur instead.

The boys are all outside (minus Remus, who is still in the shack) and stand waiting. As a wolf eventually ventures out, it snarls at the stag, who begins running away from Hogwarts and into the forest so that the wolf runs after and follows. The dog sits and barks to the moon before running after them as the camera pans out.

A chase ensues. I would like to keep this to the creativity of the director, so let's just say for now that there are a few occasional scraps between wolf, deer and dog. More chase, then peter is now on the floor trying to nip at the wolfs paws to stop him from attacking Sirius, which he is about to do, when James literally gets on top of him because he's seriously hurting Sirius, and wolf/Remus throws him off of his back, landing him over a cliff. (Not tall enough to kill him. Enough to do damage.)

The scene fades, showing James no longer in his animagus form over the edge of the cliff, knocked out.

 _End of episode._


End file.
